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the benefits of yin yoga

Yin Yoga and its benefits on emotional, energetic and physical levels.

“Around thirty years old one is moving towards their more yin phase and fluids in the joints are naturally drying up, which is why as one ages more pains and injuries are likely within the joints. Yin practices aim to maintain the yang qualities of the body, increasing the fluid in the joints, maintaining healthy joints for longer. …”

Physically a Yin practice increases pliancy in joints within its natural range of motion. Agility, mobility, flexibility and motility will all increase. As one ages we move from a very yang physical body towards a yin physical body. When one is born the body is mainly yang, with little or no stability in the joints and muscles, this indicates a large amount of fluid within these areas. Around thirty years old one is moving towards their more yin phase and fluids in the joints are naturally drying up, which is why as one ages more pains and injuries are likely within the joints. Yin practices aim to maintain the yang qualities of the body, increasing the fluid in the joints, maintaining healthy joints for longer. Yin Yoga is also very adaptable for all ages in the physical dimension, making it accessible for everyone.

Energetically Yin Yoga is a Qi enhancement practice that will maintain the quality of Qi flow as one goes through life. Practiced to increase vitality, harmonise the inner activities of the body and to release and move stagnated blockages of Qi, Yin Yoga aims to bring harmony in the energy body allowing for better absorption of Qi that then feeds areas that are deficient. This improved Qi flow then increases the potency and strength of Qi aiding the re-stocking of the Qi pool or reservoir and the overall body improving in vitality and energy levels.

Emotionally due to Yin Yoga balancing the meridian system it will help to stabilize the emotional body also. Any blockage in the energy body will impact and promote difficult emotions. Energizing meridians transforms difficult emotions into their more radiant aspects. Every emotion is energy, and learning to be with emotions learning to observe and investigate them frees our collapse into them and gives them space to change, flow freely and not become harmful or create stagnation. Yin practice is a good place to become emotionally mature, because one is neither holding, or blocking nor acting out from emotions, one is being aware of what is happening inside on all levels and this capacitates one to be alive emotionally.

When our mind isn’t resisting physically, nor holding or blocking and our inner environment is free, there is a natural enhanced clarity of mind that develops. When our physical body strengthens, our emotional body becomes freer then the mental body will become more contemplative and from this state of mind comes reflection. Yin Yoga encourages stillness and insight and this creates a bridge for yogis to get to know their minds, encouraging an open state of mind and allowing us to be just where we are and to be settled within that.

It should be remembered that a balance must be found between practising Yin Yoga and more Yang styles of yoga. Anything in excess will create an imbalance, and whilst a Yin practice may re-invigorate ones Qi pool or energy reserve too much Yang practice may deplete this pool. Whilst a Yin practice works mainly on the fascia and the joints within the body a Yang practice maintains the strength and flexibility in the muscles of the body. Therefore the benefits of a Yin practice will only remain benefits so long as a balance is found between the Yang and the Yin styles of Yoga.

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